Success story

Vivian Oparah, BAFTA-nominated actress and star of Rye Lane and Dead Hot, on storytelling, music, and why she wants to play the Joker

- ALASTAIR JAMES

VIVIAN OPARAH IS the very definition of a rising star. After making her debut in 2016 in the Doctor Who spinoff Class, Oparah had turns in shows like The Rebel and I May Destroy You. Last year, she made a memorable splash in the romcom Rye Lane, before going on to appear in Then You Run and, most recently, in the comedy thriller Dead Hot, which is available to stream on Prime Video. Her performance as the effervescent Yas in Rye Lane earned Oparah a Leading Actress nomination at the 2024 BAFTA Film Awards, with her name included alongside actresses such as Emma Stone and Margot Robbie. As a member of the BAFTA Breakthrough class of 2023, and as a musician as well as a storyteller, Oparah is definitely about to become a household name.

Where does your love of storytelling come from?

My love of storytelling definitely feels innate. I'm Nigerian, and Nigerians are natural storytellers. I watched how storytelling would animate my otherwise stoic dad. My mum would tell the most zany, grandiose, Tim Burton-esque stories when I was a kid, so I guess I'm mirroring that.

What kinds of stories do you want to tell?